Faced with Tang San's questioning—
Shui Bing'er's delight grew even stronger!
With a proud tone, she announced—
"The right arm bone of the Titan Snow Demon King granted me a single soul bone ability, called the Snow Demon Ice God Fist."
"And after using it once, I have to wait a full month before I can use it again."
"But it can summon the phantom of the Ice God and merge it into my right hand!"
"Anyone struck by me will have their entire being—including their soul—frozen!"
Freeze the soul?
Even Tang Lan was slightly moved.
Attacks targeting the soul were extremely difficult to defend against.
If he had to face Shui Bing'er,
his first choice would only be long-range sniping—there was no way he would let her get close.
——He wouldn't gamble with his own soul to see if he could endure it.
"A very powerful soul bone skill," Tang Lan remarked sharply. "But it's a melee ability with a long cooldown."
"Bing'er, you're not strong in close combat. Keeping it as a defensive trump card is the best use."
Shui Bing'er nodded repeatedly.
As a control-type Soul Master, she now possessed an enormous ice domain.
She would definitely be positioned at the far rear of the team.
At that moment, if an agility-type attacker managed to break through all obstacles to reach her—
one strike of the Snow Demon Ice God Fist would plunge them into utter despair!
Just imagining the scene was amusing.
Everyone was thrilled for Shui Bing'er, delighted that she had acquired such a powerful soul bone.
Everyone—except Tang San.
Hidden in the back of the crowd, his lowered face twisted in frustration!
Why was every single one of them getting abilities this perfectly suited for them?
Couldn't someone just get a trash skill to give him a bit of relief?!
But no one noticed him.
——Or rather, they noticed but simply couldn't be bothered to care.
At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward on her own and introduced her gain.
"A 140,000-year Sky Azure Bull Python. My fifth soul skill is singular—Shadow Sloth God Claw."
"It attacks from the enemy's shadow, bypassing all defenses. Any victim caught will have all six senses dulled and their bodily movements slowed by ten times."
"This skill is purely restrictive, so it produces no energy fluctuations.
Victims, slowed by its effect, won't even realize they've been hit."
"Charge time: five seconds."
"Duration: twelve seconds, varying based on spiritual power."
Damn!
That was an incredible ability.
Paired with Zhu Zhuqing's shadow-based soul skills, it could silently assassinate with lethal efficiency.
And that wasn't all.
"The Sky Azure Bull Python's right arm bone also granted me a single soul bone ability."
"Sky Azure Annihilation Thunder!"
"A single-target soul skill—summoning a thunder dragon to coil around an opponent, launching a full-scale attack from body to soul, inflicting excruciating pain."
"It's a continuous ability that progressively weakens all of the enemy's stats,
creating an opening for me to land a decisive kill."
Tang Lan was surprised.
Today's batch of 100,000-year soul rings and soul bones—
why did they all contain only one ability each?
A single ability didn't mean weakness—on the contrary, it signified the power being highly concentrated.
Unlike Tang San,
who had two 100,000-year soul abilities but—what use were they?
All he could do was hide in the shadows, grimacing with frustration,
silently cursing his own misfortune!
——It only proved that Fate's Judgment was indeed effective.
"My turn, then."
Ning Rongrong raised her hand, summoning the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, speaking in an almost casual manner—
"A 160,000-year Ice Emperor Penguin brought me up to level 47."
"My fourth soul skill isn't much, just a defense amplification—fixed at 50%."
"However..."
"Nine Treasures shine with Glazed Light—fourth, Ice!"
A radiant glow enveloped everyone.
Tang Lan immediately sensed his Ultimate Ice power surging—boosted by nearly fifty percent!
The sheer absurdity of it left him astonished!
——That was Ultimate Ice!
The Ultimate Ice Attribute!
This could even be amplified?!
Shui Bing'er was equally astonished.
Then—
Ning Rongrong suddenly rolled her eyes and fell straight toward Tang Lan.
Fortunately, Zhu Zhuqing reacted swiftly, catching her in time.
Tang Lan swept his spiritual power over her condition.
"No big issue, just excessive energy consumption. She's passed out."
Well, of course!
Tang Lan and Shui Bing'er both wielded Ultimate Ice, and their soul power levels were higher than Ning Rongrong's.
A fixed 50% amplification—the energy drain was bound to be massive.
The fact that she wasn't completely drained dry was only because her soul skill automatically deactivated in time.
"Interesting," Zhao Wuji commented. "Just now, my Nine Yang Divine Skill's inner energy took on an ice attribute—without conflicting with its nature!"
Oh?
Only now did the others fully realize—
Ning Rongrong's fourth soul ring actually contained two soul skills!
And the second one even transcended the limitations of her martial soul.
Not only could she enhance ice attributes, but she could also boost Ultimate Ice itself.
Tang Lan stroked his chin in thought.
'I wonder if this is due to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's unique nature...'
'Or maybe a change caused by the 100,000-year soul beast's sacrificial ritual?'
'Or perhaps... it's another step in her martial soul's evolution?'
Hmm...
This could go in the third volume of the Tang Sect Encyclopedia—a good way to pad the word count.
Future generations would find it useful reference material.
While he was lost in thought,
Shui Yue'er transferred some Rippled Steps Inner Energy into Ning Rongrong, helping her regain consciousness.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
"Oh my god!" Ning Rongrong gasped. "Uncle Tang, what level are you now? I felt like I got drained in an instant!"
Level?
Tang Lan checked.
"76."
Everyone—including Zhao Wuji—was shocked!
"Only five levels?" Zhao Wuji couldn't believe it. "Sect Master, you were already at level 71 before. Two major sacrificial rituals, and you only advanced five levels? This..."
This was way too little!
At the back of the group—
Tang San's eyes lit up with joy!
Even his170,000-year Ice Silkworm had given him a five-level boost.
Yet Tang Lan, after twobeast sacrifices, only advanced five levels?
This was a total scam!
As expected of his dear brother—even now, he was willing to "accompany" him in suffering.
How touching!
However, before the others could keep questioning,
the Ice and Snow Emperorsfirmly disagreed.
"You can't blame us for this!"
The Ice Emperor complained—
"Lan's soul power is already so dense it's almost solid. The energy contained per unit is more than a hundred times that of ordinary soul power."
"So while it looks like he only advanced five levels, in reality, he could already match a Soul Douluo—or even a Titled Douluo."
"It's not that we're too weak—it's that Lan's foundation is simply too terrifying."
The Snow Emperor nodded in agreement.
——Tang Lan was just too monstrous.
The others were left completely dumbfounded!
This...
Was Tang Lan really that overpowered?
Zhu Zhuqing and Shui Bing'er, on the other hand, felt proud.
Look at that!
Their man was so exceptional he practically radiated light!
After half a minute—
Zhao Wuji, who had also cultivated Nine Yang Divine Skill, suddenly spoke up—
"Now that I think about it, the inner power of my Nine Yang Divine Skill is already ten times the quality of normal soul power."
"Sect Master, your soul power is a hundred times greater—what exactly is it?"
"A more advanced version of Nine Yang Divine Skill?"
Upon hearing this, Tang San immediately focused his attention.
If there truly existed a higher-level version of Nine Yang Divine Skill,
then even if it were incomplete,
it would be enough for him to abandon Xuantian Skill and switch to it!
Tang Lan chuckled lightly.
"Old Zhao, you haven't even mastered Nine Yang Divine Skill yet, and you're already eyeing a new technique?"
"But even if I had one..."
"You wouldn't be able to learn it."
"Because—"
(Chapter End)